Former Rep. Rouda ends comeback House bid due to traumatic brain injury

Former California Democratic Rep. Harley Rouda has ended his comeback congressional bid following recovery from a "moderate traumatic brain injury," according to a statement from Rouda released by his campaign.

Rouda, who was running for the competitive 47th district in 2024 after California Democratic Rep. Katie Porter decided to run for Senate, announced Tuesday that he would drop out of the race at the advice of doctors following a brain injury he suffered from a fall in late March.

“This is not the outcome I wanted. But my family comes first, and to be there for them, I need to focus fully on my recovery in the months ahead,” Rouda said.

Rouda was elected to the House in 2018 after defeating long-term incumbent Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R) in the old 48th district. He was among a number of Democrats to flip districts in the historically Republican Orange County, including Porter. 

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However, in 2020, Rouda lost his re-election bid to now-Rep. Michelle Steel (R), signaling in his concession he would run for the seat again in 2022. Following redistricting, Rouda suspended his campaign to avoid an intraparty battle with Porter after both were redrawn into the new 47th district.

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Rouda’s exit from the race leaves an opening for Democratic state Sen. Dave Min, who was endorsed by Porter in January, and former Republican assemblyman Scott Baugh, who ran for the seat in 2022, losing to Porter by 3 percentage points. 

In California, all candidates run on the same primary ballot, regardless of party affiliation, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election.